NPS Photo by Patrick Myers

Woman carving a turn at Castle Creek Picnic Area. Sandboarding, sledding, or skiing on sand can be enjoyable - but only with the right gear and conditions.

Visitors may slide, ski, or sled on any unvegetated areas of the dunes.

Please note: cardboard does not work at all.

Smooth, flat-bottomed plastic sleds, skis, or snowboards are the only things that work on sand. Downward motion is only possible for children or lighter-weight adults after recent precipitation. During dry times, the sand may get too soft for sliding to occur. When snow covers the dunes on certain winter days, the sledding, snowboarding, or backcountry skiing are especially good! 

Where to Go  Sandboarding, sledding, and skiing are permitted anywhere on the dunefield. From the main visitor parking area, it's a minimum 2/3 mile hike to get to even the medium sized slopes. With high clearance 4WD vehicle, visitors may drive on the Medano Pass Primitive Road to the Castle Creek Picnic Area; there, a 300' tall slope is right across from the parking area. At this location, when conditions are optimum and speed can be attained, please be careful with children; this slope ends somewhat abruptly into Medano Creek.